Chapter 5: A Bold Request

Ruelle

Was he insane? Did he seriously want me to address him that way?

Seeing the surprise on my face, he looked at me, amusement dancing in his eyes. Then his gaze dropped to my thin dress which left little to the imagination.

I had never been so embarrassed in front of a man, one who was little more than a stranger.

I might not have been exposed to the outside world, but I wasn’t ignorant. I knew enough to understand that calling your husband that was far from an endearment. It was an insult, and the werewolf in front of me smiled as if he expected me to swallow my pride.

“Come on, you should try it,” he said. “It’s not so odd.”

I didn’t say anything. I only looked away, my cheeks heating.

In this world, especially in werewolf society, women were expected to be submissive to their husbands, doing whatever pleased them. But I couldn’t understand why that had to be the case. Marriage should be a partnership between two people who respected each other.

But the world had never been fair to women, especially those with no power.

As much as I wanted to speak my mind, I was afraid it would only displease Pierce.

“I’m just joking. You take everything so seriously, Ruelle. I’m only trying to lighten the mood on our wedding night.”

Wedding night. The words didn’t ignite any warmth in my chest, the way they should have for a bride who had just gotten married. I’d read about it in storybooks, making me once dream of a wedding with the one I loved. But now, that would never be possible.

I’d already heard so much about Pierce Ashcroft, and though I was surprised by his demand, I had expected him to show his dominance, and for me to be forced to submit.

“Have you eaten dinner?” he asked. “You look a little pale and seem to lack energy.”

I met his gaze. “Yes, I have eaten.”

He kept staring, and I noticed there was no trace of shame or restraint in his eyes. He was full of confidence, while I stood there, unsettled by the way he looked at me.

“If you are unwilling to spend the night with me, it’s alright. I won’t force you. I may not be a good man, but I have a few principles I keep.”

My eyes widened, surprised.

The tension in my chest loosened slightly, though not enough to calm me down. There were a few witches in my family’s service who could check a woman’s purity and fertility, and by our tradition, the bride would be examined after the wedding night to inspect her body, and its ability to produce a child.

Pierce or his family wouldn’t care, but I doubted my parents would let me off the hook.

I could still vividly remember the times I’d tried to disobey them. My mother always made sure I paid the price, and the thought of the consequences made what little courage I had vanish into thin air.

“Don’t worry, I won’t take it against you,” Pierce added, and I knew he was serious. “After all, we have many nights ahead of us.”

When I didn’t respond, he stood up from the bed and started to walk away.

He didn’t make it three steps before I grabbed his shirt to stop him.

“No…”

He turned back to me. He ran his fingers through his inky black hair, and a few locks fell over his forehead. His eyebrow twitched, a glint of mischievous interest in his amber eyes.

“I-I want us to spend the night together… the way a married couple should.”

He smirked, his eyes narrowing like a hawk eyeing its prey.

“Are you certain of that, princess?”

My cheeks burned hotter, and I wanted nothing more than to be swallowed by the floor. Still, I kept my chin up, refusing to look away from his gaze, hot as burning coal.

Instead of answering, I slipped off my thin dress, leaving my nakedness exposed in front of him. The cold wrapped around my body, and it took all my strength not to cover myself.

“Take me. I want you to take me tonight.”

I had been married off to this man, which meant I would have to experience this now or later. I feared what my parents would do once they found out Pierce hadn’t touched me on our wedding night. Their punishments were never merciful.

His eyes darkened as they roamed over my body, slow and sensual. He was no saint, of course I knew that already. The sight of nakedness couldn’t have been new to him, but my body had been flawless. My parents had made sure of that, and I hadn’t understood why, until later. 

It turned out they had been preparing me for the day they would sell me off for whatever price they thought I was worth.

“Are you just going to stare?” There was a bite in my voice, a hint of my temper slipping through.

He looked surprised.

“I didn’t know you had so much boldness in you, despite how timid you look.”

He stepped closer, and I sucked in a breath at the nearness. He was huge for a male, and even before he touched me, I could feel the heat coming off his skin.

I almost jumped when his hand settled on my waist, and the way I reacted made him chuckle.

“Don’t fret. I can be gentle when I want to.”

That didn’t sound comforting.

His fingers traced up to my navel, excruciatingly slow and sensual. He watched my expression the whole time, as if gauging my reaction, weighing whether he should continue.

Pierce Ashcroft was one of the most handsome men I’d ever seen, perhaps the most handsome. But nothing about him put me at ease. And my admiration for his beauty came with the acknowledgment of how dangerous he was.

When his fingers slid between my legs and I unconsciously gripped his arm for support, his eyes turned even darker, nearly pitch-black.

“It’s a shame the bastard who dared touch you is already dead. If not, I would have gladly done the honor of sending him off to hell.”

My heart skipped a beat.

“I assure you, though, after this night, you will not remember any of that fucker’s touch.” He hooked one finger inside me as he kissed my neck, and my knees buckled. “You will only remember my touch, engraved on your skin.”